Distressing..

I'm much in need to distress from all the stress I'm having.. Exam corner around the week with additional read up need to do.. So many things need to accomplish within short notice. Anyway, one way to distress myself is either cooking or baking. So I have decided to try out a new dish which I've been wanting to cook it. After searching high and low, I have found it thru Kak Ayu blogs. Anyway let's stop blabbering away, recipes as follows:

Ayam Kalio

Source:  Ayu @ curlybabesatisfaction

Bahan:

500g ayam-dipotong kecil (I used 1 kg)
300ml santan pekat (Naz used trim coconut milk)

3 sudu besar cili kisar

3 helai daun limau purut-disiat

2 keping asam geleugur

Garam & gula secukup rasa

minyak untuk menumis 

Bahan Kisar:

5 ulas bawang merah

4 ulas bawang putih

2 cm halia

2 cm lengkuas

2 cm kunyit hidup

Cara:-

1. Panaskan minyak didalam kuali dan tumiskan bahan kisar bersama cili kisar sehingga pecah minyaknya.
2. Kemudian masukkan ayam dan sanatn pekat. Kacau rata dan biarkan sehingga mendidih dan empuk.
3. Masukkan asam  gelugur, daun limau purut dan didihkan sehingga kuahnya menjadi pekat. Perasakan dengan garam dan gula secukup rasa dan biarkan masak. Angkat dan hidangkan.

Happy trying : )

- Yours truly -

Briyani...

Assalam'mualaikum Wr. Wb 

Hope everyone are in the good heath today. It's been a wet day today. It's been a while since I went to Mustafa Centre to see see and look look... Hehehehe Finally I went there 2 days ago with my family to work around.  I've been wanting to cook briyani from scratch, ooh well I know there are various of spices involve. Anyway, I've decided to get the Shan's brand. It's one of the recommended brand if you want to cook briyani or some other dishes. I have purposely used Jasmine rice instead of Basmati Rice as I was afraid that it won't turn out as how I want it to be. Praise to God, it turns out so well and get thumbs up from Mr Hub & Missy Daughter.

Well enough of blah blah blah, let's screen thru the recipe with my own style. 

My style - Sindhi Briyani

Ingredients:

500g – 700g of basmati rice (I used jasmine rice instead) – Wash & soak basmati rice for 1-2 hours.

1 whole chicken – cut into 8’s

1 box of Shan’s Sindhi briyani spices

1 cup of fresh mint

1 cup of cilantro

1 cup of low fat yoghurt

2 – 3 fresh green chillies – halves

2 medium tomatoes - cut into 6’s

2 bay leaves

1 medium onion – slice it

Ghee (I used oilive oil for healthier version)

To grind into paste:

4 green chillies

2 medium onions

1” ginger

6-8 cloves of garlic

Methods:

• Boil the basmati rice till its ¾ cook and drain it. 
• Fry the sliced onion till its little brownish and fragrant with the ghee / olive oil. Then add in the paste, bay leaves, ½ of the fresh mint and Shan’s briyani spices till the oil float on the surface.
• Add in the chicken, yogurt, tomatoes and 1 cups of water. Simmer till the chicken cook and gravy thickens.
• When it’s done, off the heat and scoop out the excess gravy in a separate bowl. You can serve the gravy with the rice later.
• Spread the basmati rice on top of it then top with the coriander and mint. Cover it and steam it over a very low heat for about 5 mins.  You can skip this step if you prefer to serve the dish separately.

Notes: 

• If you want to top with cashews or almonds, make sure you fry it with little oil or roast it in the oven for healthier choice.
• I don’t use salt as I find the seasoning is sufficient.
• I want my briyani to be natural so I have skipped the colouring. You may use saffron for the beautiful colour.
• You can opt not to add in the fresh chillies that have been halves if you don't prefer it to be spicy.

- Yours truly -

Eggy Toast on wet Monday

Such a nice cold Monday morning.. It's a substitute holiday only for the school kids, whereas its a working day for the adult. The best part being a SAHM is everyday is a holiday for us.. That great, isn't it.. Well, after reading a post from 1 of my FB friend about buttermilk, something just hit me. Since I have half loaf of wholemeal that expiring today, why don't I do something to it using buttermilk.. Here is my another own creation, simple but fulfilling. Thumbs up from my daughter. Hope you will enjoy it too.. Before that a little info about butter milk that was shared by my friend, Salwar Omar from Facebook.

Info Source: Salwar Omar FB

Buttermilk, traditionally was the liquid left from the process of churing cream to make butter. It has a sourish taste and high acidity level. It contains, high amount of water and a small percentage of protein and butterfat.

It is this butterfat that gives rich and moistness to baked goods. When a recipe calls for buttermilk, bicarbonate soda is necessary to help neutralize the acidity in buttermilk.

The buttermilk we bought at supermarket nowadays are known commercial buttermilk. It means wathat it is milk which has been cultured with lactic acid.

A search on www.muslimconsumergroup.com lists lactic acid as a halal ingredients.

To subtitute buttermilk, add 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice to 250ml milk. But, the flavor is nowhere near the rich and full flavor of buttermilk.

Eggy Buttermilk Wholemeal Toast

Ingredients: 
2 - 3 eggs 
1/4 cup of buttermilk
1 - 2 tbsp maple syrup (depends on ur sweetness)
Dash of cinnamon / nugmeg powder
Butter
Wholemeal bread ( u can use ur own preference of bread )

- mix all the above ingredients except for butter..
- heat up the pan with little butter n oil. (oil to prevent butter frm burning)
- dip the bread into the egg n fry it on the pan.
- make sure both sides r crispy n golden
- serve it hot. U can top it up with extra maple syrup n some fruits like berries, banana.,

Note : 

if using happy call pan, can omit the oil, just use little butter.

I didn't use salt as the butter is already salty unless if u use unsalted butter. But do keep them at a minimum.

Happy trying : )

- yours truly -

Labor Day !!!

Wow... Its my 1st time celebrating Labor Day being a SAHM.. Lately, weather have been unpredictable. Some days are sunny and hot whereas some days will be wet and cold. Been wondering what to cook, preferably something quicky and simple. While was browsing thru Kak Ayu blog, came across an interesting recipe. That is Nasi Goreng Cili Kering or I shall rephrase it as Dried Chili Fried Rice. Fried rice have always been my favorite dish since I was in my teens. Tho it is a simple dish but you can come up various version of fried rice. Anyway, enough of me talking.. lets look into the ingredients for the Nasi Goreng Cili Kering aka Dried Chili Fried Rice. 

PS: Kak Ayu, I love the simplicity of this fried rice..

Nasi Goreng Cili Kering

Souce: Kak Ayu 

Ingredients:-
6 bowls boiled cooled rice-(6 mangkuk nasi )
*15 dried chillies-soaked-(chili kering) (Naz used about 3 tbsp cili boh/cili paste)
*9 shallots-(bawang merah) (Naz used 1 big red onion)
*2 handful of anchovies-(2 genggam ikan bilis)
*thumbsize shrimp paste -(sebesar ibu jari  belacan)
2 eggs -(2 biji telur) (Naz used 3 eggs)
salt & msg to taste -(garam & serbuk perasa secukupnya) (Naz used anchovies knorr seasoning)
(*ground ingredients coarsely) -(bahan2 ditumbuk kasar)

Additional I put in chye sim aka sawi in my fried rice

Method:-
Heat oil and saute grounded ingredients till oil rises up the surface. Add in eggs and stir well. Add in salt and msg and stir again. Add rice and stir till incorporated.Ready.-(Panaskan minyak dan tumis bahan2 tumbuk hingga garing. Masukkan telur dan kacau. Perasakn denagn garam & perasa secukupnya. Masukkan nasi dan gaul rata. Siap untuk dihidang).

Experiment with HCP (Happy Call Pan)

I did this Oyster Grill Chix for my chicken rice few weeks ago.. Thumbs up by hub and daughter. This is going to be my ever grill chix for my chicken rice dish in a healthier instead of those fried ones. Anyway recipes as follows: 

Ingredients: -
6 - 8 boneless chicken thighs - trim all the fats. You can opt for any chicken parts
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp crushed black pepper

• After washing the chicken, tap it dry so that the marinate able to stick to the chicken. Mix all the marinate and the chicken well & leave it for about 1 - 2 hours in the fridge. 
• Heat up the Happy Call Pan for 5 mins on medium heat on both sides.  Place the chicken on the Happy Call Pan & close the lid. I have cooked them for about 10 - 15 mins depending on the thickness of the chicken. You can either flip the pan or manually turn the chicken yourself with thongs.

Notes:

You can grill them in your oven or grill pan.

Happy trying :)

- Yours truly -

Simplicity Mee Goreng

Did this sometime back.. As usual been busy till forgotten to update in my blog.. Its so delicious to have a place of this on wet cold day.. So yummilicious.. As usual, recipe as follows ...

Ingredients:

* 2 med red onion

* 4 tbsp chili paste - u can adjust according to your spiciness level

* blend the above ingredients

U can add anything u like, eg prawn, chicken breast meat, fish cakes. It's best don't over crowd the noodle

Veg - best use chye sim or beansprout

Salt to taste

Fry the paste with oil till its fragrant & the oil float on the surface on low fire.. Then add a  little water & let it boil.. Once it's boiling, add in all the seafood tht u like then let it cook.. Make sure the it's not too watery & should be medium consistency.. Then add in the veg & seasoning n let it cook for another 5 mins then finally toss in the noodle. Make sure it's well mix.. When the noodle is ready it should look abit wet.. Well, the consistency is up to individual.

Happy trying :)

- Yours truly - 

Experimenting Hokkien Mee

It's been awhile I have been wanting to try out cooking my very own hokkien mee instead of getting it from the banquet. Finally I have managed to do last night for family dinner and I guess its a success. Unfortunately, there's no sambal chili to go along but instead I had it very few slices of cili padi for the kick. Well let's move on to the recipe...

Stock

handful ikan bilis
2-3 cloves of garlic - chopped1-2 slices of garlic
prawns head - more the better

Put all of them in a pot and boil them in a medium heat. Longer the better to get all the essence from the ikan bilis and prawns. As the stock is boiling, skim off the formy on the surface to have clear stock. You can adjust the seasoning while making the stock.

Main ingredients:

Yellow mee
Laksa mee
Taugeh or chye sim aka sawi
prawn and squid - blanch them in the stock
fishcakes
2-3 eggs
Chopped garlic

• In a wok with a little oil, fry the chopped garlic till its fragrant and brown. 
• Then put in the noodles and stock, let them cook for few mins. 
• Put in the blanched prawn, squid and fishcakes plus the stock again. Let it cook it for a while. Finally put in the eggs and stir it quickly. How wet or dry you wan it be, you can adjust with the stock.
• Dish out while it hot with spring onions or fried shallots, sambal of your choice and a calamansi on the side. 

Happy trying : )

- Yours truly-